TOPIC: Nose strut on 1957, 182A

The service manual does not specify a desired extension. It does specify that when the nose gear strut is properly serviced, the proper extension will occur when the nose tire is lifted off the ground and the strut is serviced with 55-60 pounds of air (or nitrogen) pressure. I believe that will provide 2 1/2 to 3 inches of extension.

I've noticed a similar behavior on my recently acquired 182P. It makes checking oil a process because the level on the dipstick changes by over a quart depending on how the nose strut is extended. What is the proper amount of strut "exposure" when the aircraft is parked?

Mine did something similar when i first bought it. It was shown in the logbooks to have been serviced recently. Ends up they cheaped out on the hydraulic fluid and used more air. Simple to fix according to steve's instructions.

I believe that what you experienced means that the nose strut is low on fluid and it's time to service the nose strut. That means let out the air charge (after suspending the airplane so the nose gear is off the ground-usually done by using an engine hoist to lift off the lifting ring on the top of the engine) , then adding a fresh supply of hydraulic fluid and recharging the air to get the correct extension.
If you haven't had the strut fully serviced in a while it's a good time to remove the strut and the old o-ring seals; then install new seals and re-install the strut.
You should also get your mechanic to look at the torque links to see if the strut extension stop is worn. If it's worn, or the links are badly worn that will let the strut extend too far.
Let me know what you find,
Steve

Today when I parked after landing, the nose strut was fully extended, when I put the tow bar on and just went to move the plane it went down into the normal position. Can anyone tell me what this means and is it serious.